Disintegrating binders for multi-member cable
AssigneeCommScope Technologies LLC
InventorDaniel J. Parke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-member cable includes at least a first cable element and a second cable element. The first and second cable elements may extend in parallel, be stranded in a helical winding pattern, or be stranded in a reverse-oscillatory winding pattern, along the length of the cable. At least one binder is helically wrapped about the first and second cable elements to hold them together. The binder is formed of a material which disintegrates when exposed to a particular liquid or heat. In a preferred embodiment, the binder may be formed of polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA).
Claims20
A multi-member cable comprising:
- a first cable element;
- a second cable element, wherein said first and second cable elements abut each other;
- at least one binder helically wrapped about said first and second cable elements, so as to hold said first and second cable elements together, wherein said at least one binder is formed of a first material which disintegrates to lose at least 25% of its tensile strength within less than one minute when bought into contact with a liquid having a ph of between 4 and 10 and the liquid being at a temperature of between 32 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit;
- and
- an outer jacket formed over said first and second cable elements and said at least one binder.
A multi-member cable comprising:
- a first cable element;
- a second cable element, wherein said first and second cable elements abut each other;
- at least one binder helically wrapped about said first and second cable elements, so as to hold said first and second cable elements together, wherein said at least one binder is formed of a first material which disintegrates to permanently lose at least 25% of its tensile strength within less than one minute when heated to a temperature greater than 200 degrees Fahrenheit, but less than 600 degrees Fahrenheit;
- and
- an outer jacket formed over said first and second cable elements and said at least one binder.
A method of performing a mid-span access of a multi-member cable comprising:
- removing a section of an outer jacket to expose first and second cable elements and at least one binder helically wrapped about the first and second cable elements;
- moistening the at least one binder until the binder disintegrates and releases the first and second cable elements;
- and
- splicing into at least one of the first and second cable elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.